Kaduna Crisis: NIPR urges tolerance, peaceful coexistence

Kaduna State chapter of Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR) has stressed the need for tolerance and peaceful coexistence among residents of the state, following last Saturday’s breakdown of law and order, prompting the imposition of 24-hour curfew on Sunday.

The state chapter chairman of the organisation, Alhaji Bashir Chedi, gave the charge in a statement in Kaduna on Tuesday.

He condemned the latest communal violence which claimed many lives in Kasuwan Magani, Kujama Local Government Area, and subsequent reprisal attacks in some parts of Kaduna Town.

He stressed that “people should be able to tolerate each other in spite of their religious and ethnic differences.”

Chedi stated that the state’s NIPR chapter was happy with the prompt action taken by Gov. Nasir el-Rufa’i in ensuring that security personal took charge of the situation and commended him for the timely imposition of curfew that stopped the spread of the violence.

He noted that “we also support the governor’s pronouncement to prosecute culprits involved in causing this crisis.”

He urged religious clerics, traditional/opinion leaders, NGO’s and youth leaders to intensify efforts toward preaching peaceful coexistence in the state and the country in general.

He cautioned the public against the danger of spreading fake news, hate speech and rumours through social media.

According to him the Kaduna NIPR in conjunction with stakeholders, will come up with relevant peace advocacy programmes to further sensitise the public on peaceful association and mutual understanding among people.

The latest Kaduna violence broke out on Saturday, Oct. 20, following argument between two people at Kasuwan Magani in Kujama Local Government Area of the state but escalated to other areas, claiming many lives, prompting the state government to impose 24-hour curfew immediately to check the spread.

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